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Microwave Heating Induces Structural Remodeling of Egg White Proteins: Mechanisms for Allergenicity Reduction and
Lili Zhang1, Tao Wang1, Jing Qian1
1Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering, Ministry of Education, and Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Abstract:
Egg allergy remains a significant public health concern. This study investigated the effects of microwave heating (MH, 40-100 °C, 0-60 min) on egg white protein (EWP) allergenicity to develop hypoallergenic egg products. MH induced temperature-dependent structural changes, forming soluble aggregates at 40 °C and hydrophobic-mediated insoluble aggregates at 60-100 °C. Constituent proteins (ovotransferrin (OVT), lysozyme (LYS), ovalbumin (OVA), and ovomucoid (OVM)) showed differential thermal stability, which influenced aggregation behaviors. The optimal treatment (80 °C, 5 min) triggered rapid reorganization, enhancing digestibility while preserving pH and flavor. This treatment reduced allergenicity by 58.46%; and extending the treatment to 80 °C for 30 min further decreased IgE-binding by 72.57%. Increased root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) and root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF) values indicated structural deviation and expansion, while secondary structure changes revealed a mechanism for altered allergenicity. This heating strategy balances allergen reduction with quality preservation for safer egg-derived foods.
